Children are invited to share what they missed during lockdown
This June, members of The Ark Children's Council will present to the Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, sharing what the children of Ireland have told them about their experiences of lockdown. To help inform this presentation, we're asking children to answer the question, 'What Did I Miss?'
This June, The Ark and Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh are exploring and sharing children’s experience of lockdown in a number of ways. At its centre, are free live streamed performances of our new show What Did I Miss? by Shaun Dunne, which offers a window into children’s experience of the pandemic and the milestones they’ve missed along the way. Meanwhile, a schools engagement programme encourages children to share how it was for them.
Today The Ark, in partnership with Brightening Air, announced that we will also be giving voice to some of the experiences of children in Ireland to the Government. On 22 June, children from The Ark Children’s Council will present to the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, sharing what the children of Ireland have told them about their experiences of lockdown. To help inform this presentation and to represent as many children as possible, we are now calling for children right across the island of Ireland to send us stories of something they missed due to lockdown.
It could be meeting friends, family, a special event, a milestone in their lives, a landmark date – anything at all that they missed, we want to hear about it!
Submissions will be collated and considered by the Children’s Council. They will then write a short speech highlighting some of the things children missed, which they will deliver to the Oireachtas Committee on 22 June.
Take just two minutes to submit your child's story of something they missed here now.
If you are a teacher wishing to submit stories from your class, you can do so here.
Submissions close on Wednesday 9 June at 4pm.
Aideen Howard, Director of The Ark said, "For over 25 years The Ark has represented, through creative art experiences, concerns and topics that are important to children and their lives. In What Did I Miss? we are giving theatrical expression to one aspect of the pandemic through a child's eyes. While encouraging as many children as possible to watch this free production online, we also want to encourage children to share their own experiences. The Ark Children’s Council is made up of children in 5th & 6th class from a number of schools across Dublin and the surrounding areas. They play a vital role in informing policy and programme here at The Ark. We are delighted that the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration has invited the children to now help give voice to the experiences of children right across Ireland during lockdown. We are so looking forward to hearing from children about what they missed and doing our part to share this with a wider audience.”
Naoise Nunn, Producer of Brightening Air said "The voices of the children of Ireland are among our most precious and this is a unique opportunity to hear how this world event has impacted on them specifically. We are delighted to play a part in helping them to have their voice heard at this momentous time in our history."